NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock did his annual pre-NFL Scouting Combine marathon conference call with reporters on Monday, and Mayock was asked lots of questions about the quarterbacks in this year’s draft class.
Mayock isn’t much of a fan, at least not of their NFL readiness.
“If you’re asking me whether the Jets should take a quarterback at No. 6, I would emphatically tell you no,” Mayock told one reporter, per the NFL Network’s official transcript. “As a matter of fact I don’t have a top 10 grade on any quarterback in this year’s draft, so I would not be in that conversation.”
Earlier in the call, Mayock said he is “not bullish” on any of this year’s draftable quarterbacks because he doesn’t believe any of them are ready to play right away.
“I’d love to have one of those kids in the second round,” he said. “Take my time, develop them. For different reasons, they’re not ready.”
He said he still believes at least one quarterback -- and maybe as many as three -- will be drafted in the top 10 picks, but was adamant that he doesn’t rank them there.
“I don’t have any quarterbacks anywhere near the top 10,” Mayock said. “That doesn’t mean I think there’s no talent there, because I think there are four quarterbacks that have first-round talent. In my order I had for my initial top five it was [DeShone] Kizer, [Deshaun] Watson, [Mitch] Trubisky, [Patrick] Mahomes. All four of them have holes in their games. I don’t think any of them are ready to start Week One.”